Improvement in lamp-extinguishers



PATENT QFFICE.

WILLIAM G. RUGE, OF HOLSTEIN, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN LAMP-EXTINGUISHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,280, dated August22, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM Gltoen, of H01- stein, in the county ofWVarren and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Lamp-Extinguisher; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 represents a side view, partly in section, of my improvedlamp-extinguisher. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detailtop view of part of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The careless handling and upsetting of kerosene-lamps is the most commoncause of accidents from explosion and consequent conflagrations. Iintend to prevent such explosions by the application, to the lamp-burners, of a device which will immediately extinguish the flame onthe wick if the lamp is upset, shaken, or struck.

My invention consists in the application, to the wick-tube, of a pair ofspring-jaws, which will close over the'wick and extinguish the flameunless they are held apart by a hook-lug and catch provided for thatpurpose. The hook is easily disengaged by a disturbance of the lamp, andwill in that case release the jaws and let them extinguish the flame.

A in the drawing represents the wicletube of a suitable burner. B is asleeve fitted around the wick-tube, and carrying at the sides a pair ofspring-jaws, O (l, which have the tendency to close above the wick-tubesufficiently to enable the extinction of the flame. To one end of thesleeve B is pivoted, at a, afork, D, whose prongs enter between andunder the jaws, while its shank 1) projects beyond the side of theburner. A hook, E, is suspended from the outer end of the shank b. F isa ring, placed upon the lampglobe or reservoir below the burner, andfirmly clamped or fastened in place. From it project three or moreradial wires, 0 c, which, at their .outer ends, hold a circular wirespring, (I. From against the inclined jaws O to spread them apart andclear the upper end of the wick. Whenever the lamp falls, or is struckor disturbed, the spring d will be first touched, and will, by the leastdisplacement of the wire 6, at once disengage the hook E from the lug 9,thereby releasing the jaws, so that they extinguish the flame onthe'wick before an explosion can occur. The notched wire 6 serves thusas a catch by which the hook is disengaged. The ring d may, if desired,be also used as a support for a lamp-shade.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters latent The spring-jaws G 0, combined with the pivoted fork D,hook E, lug g, and notched arm 6, all arranged to constitute alamp-extinguisher,

as set forth.

WILLIAM G. HUGE. Witnesses:

A. F. EINSBECK, M. D., J ULIUs A. HUGE.

